New Delhi, Nov 5 (KNN) Union Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises is partnering with IIT Kharagpur to set up a center of excellence on advanced manufacturing which will cater to current and future research and development needs of heavy industries and MSMEs.

In a tweet, Babul Supriyo, Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, wrote, “A Centre of Excellence in Bengal is one of my Top Priorities. Time-Bound POA decided with IIT DIR yesterday. Very Optimistic.”

The Minister visited IIT Kharagpur in connection to a scheme launched in November 2014 by the government in which the Central Government under provisions of Capital Goods Scheme, provides 80 per cent grant to Premier Academic Institutes like IIT to establish Centre of Excellence (CoE) for R&D of new and emerging technologies for large industries as well as MSMEs.

The meeting was also attended by IIT Kharagpur Director, Directors of CII and NIT, Durgapur, and major industry players like Tata Motors, TCL, BHEL etc.

During the meeting a time bound roadmap was decided upon to establish the CoE in the IIT sooner than later.

"The centre will cater to current and future research and development needs of heavy industries and MSMEs, delivering prototypes of high quality and supporting not just West Bengal but India to carve out a significant place globally," IIT-Kgp director Prof P P Chakrabarti said.

"The Institute will do the R&D and share it with the industries for commercialisation. The model will be of a consortium and also promoting start-up culture in this part of the country," he added. (KNN Bureau)